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roasting the chickpeas to sell in the market. 1

Extracting a living out of inferno to survive in the Metropolis

PHOTOS BY ATHAR HUSSAIN

KARACHI: For four years now Ali Afzal 36 and Raheem Ahmed 27 have been commencing their day by lighting the furnace and roasting chickpeas here at a tiny rented space in Saddar Town’s locale called Lucky Star.

The two partners pack their ware and supply to retailers. They have no other option but to keep on toiling in front of flames despite sweltering heat in order to extract a living out of inferno.

Afzal roasts  while Waleed markets it in equally scorching exterior: “Sometimes, due to sweltering heat, it becomes really unbearable to carry on but we have no other choice”, they said.

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M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.